An Act empowering cities and towns to impose a mansion fee to support affordable housing

This bill allows Massachusetts cities and towns to charge an additional fee on the sale of large, high-value homes to generate revenue for affordable housing. The fee applies only when a property is sold for a price exceeding a specific threshold set by the local municipality, and the collected funds must be used exclusively to create or preserve housing for low- and moderate-income families. Local governments would define what constitutes a "mansion" and determine the exact fee amount, while regional housing commissions could also collect these fees if their member towns agree to the program. The legislation does not impose a state-wide mandate or set a uniform fee, leaving the specific rules and financial targets to be decided by individual communities.